What is a school, if not a community? A high-quality education goes beyond the classroom and extends into all aspects of a student’s life. What we know is that the security of basic resources is incredibly important to a student’s success. So why not bring these resources to campus?
As part of a school project, students Bhumika Magar and Santu Kaldan, alongside the WSD Wellness Coordinator, and other school officials took initiative during the first days of the Capital Project to make their vision of having a hub for resources at WSD a reality. Magar and Kaldan toured schools with similar concepts, conducted research, and surveyed fellow students before solidifying their proposal; they called it the Necessity Store.
With plans for the Necessity Store included in the Capital Project, and a variety of grants from organizations such as The Vermont Foodbank and The Vermont Community Foundation, intended to stock and replenish the shelves, Magar and Kaldan’s vision became a reality.
During the fall of 2022, as work on the building came to a close, WSD Wellness Coordinator, Patrice Lumumba, dedicated much of his time to getting the Necessity Store up and running. With the help of student volunteers, he ordered supplies such as a refrigerator, shelving, and clothing racks. He stocked the shelves with food, hygiene products, clothing, and winter gear, both purchased and donated. And he turned the once-blank canvas of a room into a welcoming and inclusive space for students and the community.
Throughout the process, which was not without its hiccups, Lumumba made sure resources were still available to students in need. He connected over 200 students with winter items before the Necessity Store doors even officially opened.
When students and staff returned from winter break in January of 2023, the Necessity Store officially opened its doors with regular hours. Since then the store has served over 20 students a day.
During a visit to the Necessity Store in early January, I had the opportunity to speak with a group of high school students who regularly visit the Necessity Store. Their insight helped me grasp just how important the Necessity Store is to the community.
9th Grader, Mapenzi Selemani, talked about how important the Necessity Store is for students whose families are not always able to buy items like winter clothing and food stating that “Parents are really thankful.”
In addition to providing items that students can take home, the store also has a variety of snacks students can choose from throughout the day “When you are hungry and it is not time for lunch yet or after lunch, you can just come here and grab snacks” said 10th grader Mamy Kyungu.
11th grader Nadine Ikizakubuntu, sang praise for the Necessity Store exclaiming that “It makes me want to come to school every day.” Ikizakubuntu hopes that the store will continue for years to come so that “students like my siblings who are in like elementary have the same experience that I have.”
Staff and students involved with the Necessity Store hope to see it continue to grow and transform to best fit the needs of the unique Winooski community. One thing at the top of the list is a wider variety of foods from different cultures.
For more information about the Necessity Store, including its store hours and donation procedures, please contact WSD Wellness Coordinator, Patrice Lumumba at 802-383-6130 or [email protected]